Where does “ribbonweed” come from?

ribbonweed (English) comes from English weed, from Middle English weed, from Old English wēod, from Proto-West Germanic *weud — weed (unwanted plant).

ribbonweed (English): Any of various marine and freshwater flowering plants

Definitions

Any of various marine and freshwater flowering plants

Ancestry of “ribbonweed”, step by step

ribbonweed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English weed

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	English	weed	Any plant regarded as unwanted at the place...
2	Middle English	weed	—
3	Old English	wēod	weed
4	Proto-West Germanic	*weud	weed (unwanted plant)

via English ribbon

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	English	ribbon	A long, narrow strip of material used for...
2	Middle English	riban	ribbon
3	Old French	riban	—

Every word from Proto-West Germanic *weud →Every word from Old English wēod →Every word from Middle English weed →